The New Year’s Eve traditions of drinking and fireworks have law enforcement ready and prepared today.

The N.C. Highway Patrol is gearing up for another tradition — drunk driving. Motor vehicle wrecks involving alcohol are up this year, statewide, and state troopers are making sure the roads are safer as 2012 comes to a close.

“We’re going to do like we do every year,” Highway Patrol Sgt. G.S. Hemby said. “We’re going to have every available lawman out, setting up random checkpoints and looking for impaired drivers, aggressive drivers and the like.”

According to a Highway Patrol statement released Friday, there have been more than 5,500 alcohol-related motor vehicle wrecks this year, leading troopers to issue driving-while-impaired charges to more than 23,000 people.

“Our troopers will be very vigilant in locating and removing impaired drivers off North Carolina highways as we approach the New Year holiday,” Highway Patrol Col. Michael Gilchrist said in the release. “Our ultimate goal is provide a safe driving environment for all motorists.”

Last year, 10 people died between Christmas and New Year’s. The Highway Patrol reports two people died on the state’s roads between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year. Locally, the activity hasn’t been as bad.

“So far, it’s been pretty good,” Hemby said. “We’ve had a few collisions — no fatalities or anything like that, so that’s pretty good.”

Kinston Department of Public Safety officers will be going about their business as usual during a holiday period, while keeping an eye out for illegal and dangerous fireworks use.

“We’ve not had a lot of activity during the New Year’s (period),” KDPS Director Bill Johnson said. “We’re out on patrol a little bit more, especially because of the fireworks situation that sometimes people have — not as much as on July 4, but sometimes they do on New Year’s Eve.”

Johnson added, “And of course, there’s some safety issues that go along with that. So, we’ll be out looking for that type of thing.”

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.

Find an alternative to taxi-less New Year’s Eve

Local bar will provide shuttling service

Kinston’s only cab service — and cab — will not operate on New Year’s Eve night.

Jones Taxi Service doesn’t provide rides after sundown.

All is not lost for night goers who can’t decide on or find a designated driver.

The Dugout, a local sports bar expecting major traffic for the holiday’s eve, is offering shuttle service for its customers.

For the past two years, the popular bar has offered rides for inebriated patrons.

“It’s New Year’s Eve,” said bartender Chrissy Brooks. “We want everyone to come out and have a good time and get home safe.”

Rides will start at midnight, with the van going back and forth as needed. There will be no charge for rides, but Dugout employees ask that passengers tip the driver.

State troopers will have “random check points in random locations” on the night of New Year’s Eve, according to Sgt. G.S. Hemby.

Police will monitor the roads for vehicles that run off the road, cross center lines or have erratic drivers.